Spicy Pineapple Pork Butt Roast

This delicious sweet and savory dish is sure to become a new family favorite. Here, fresh pineapple and spicy jalapeno are paired with toasted sesame oil, five-spice powder, creamy peanut butter, and fresh cilantro for a rich and flavorful combination.

As written, this recipe contains a couple of extra steps you can skip if you are short on time. To make this a truly one-pot meal, simply place the well-trimmed and seasoned pork butt roast directly into your slow cooker without searing. In addition, the juices can be thickened right in the slow cooker crock by stirring in the arrowroot slurry with the other ingredients 30 minutes before it is done cooking.

Important Tip: Trim as much excess fat as possible from the pork butt roast prior to cooking. This will greatly reduce the amount of fat that ends up in the very flavorful juices/sauce.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season trimmed pork roast on all sides with salt and pepper, to taste. Add to hot skillet and sear on all sides, approximately 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer seared pork to slow cooker crock.

Reduce heat to medium and deglaze skillet with fresh pineapple juice. Use a spatula to scrape up flavorful brown bits from bottom of pan. Remove from heat and pour pan juices into the slow cooker.

Cover and cook over high heat for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8. When finished, stir in fresh cilantro and transfer pork and pineapple mixture to a serving platter with a slotted spoon. Cover and keep warm.

Optional: If desired, create a slurry by combining 2 tablespoons arrowroot and ¼ cup of juices from the slow cooker. Transfer remaining juices from the slow cooker to a large skillet over medium-high heat and whisk in the arrowroot slurry until well combined. Cook for several minutes or until sauce is reduced and thickened.

To serve, spoon warm pork and pineapple mixture over a bed of cooked brown or cilantro-lime rice. Top with the juices or thickened sauce, if desired, and enjoy!